When Macavoy arrived,
a cheer went up, which was carried on waves of laughter into the house
to Hilton and Ida, who even then were listening to the first words of the
brief service which begins, "I charge you both if you do know any just
cause or impediment--" and so on.
They did not turn to see what it was, for just at that moment they
themselves were the very centre of the universe. Ida being deaf and
dumb, it was necessary to interpret to her the words of the service by
signs, as the missionary read it, and this was done by Pierre himself,
the half-breed Catholic, the man who had brought Hilton and Ida together,
for he and Ida had been old friends. After Father Corraine had taught
her the language of signs, Pierre had learned them from her, until at
last his gestures had become as vital as her own. The delicate precision
of his every movement, the suggestiveness of look and motion, were suited
to a language which was nearer to the instincts of his own nature than
word of mouth. All men did not trust Pierre, but all women did; with
those he had a touch of Machiavelli, with these he had no sign of
Mephistopheles, and few were the occasions in his life when he showed
outward tenderness to either: which was equally effective. He had
learnt, or knew by instinct, that exclusiveness as to men and
indifference as to women are the greatest influences on both. As he
stood there, slowly interpreting to Ida, by graceful allusive signs, the
words of the service, one could not think that behind his impassive face
there was any feeling for the man or for the woman.
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